It's Always Darkest Before the Dawn
by moods424
Summary: Edward left in NM and didn't return. Six years later Bella is happily engaged to Jacob and a vampire. When the Cullens suddenly return to her life will six years be unraveled with one word from his perfect lips? Not your typical fairytale story. Jacob/B/E
1. Chapter 1

**This is an idea that I had....I hope you like it. The faster I get reviews the faster I update. Edward leaves in New Moon and doesn't return. Six years later, Bella is engaged to Jacob, and she's genuinely happy. Her thoughts of Edward are limited and vague, like those of a dream. So what will happen when the Cullens reappear in her life? Will six years be undone with just one word from his perfect lips?**

**Let me know what you think! -Ashley  
**

"_Bella, I don't want you to come with me." He spoke the words slowly and precisely, his cold eyes on her face, watching as she absorbed what he was really saying._

_There was a pause as she repeated the words in her head a few times, sifting through them for their real intent._

"_You…don't…want me?" She tried out the words, confused by the way they sounded, placed in that order._

"_No."_

Roughly six years had passed since Edward had spoken those words and disappeared from her life. But Bella was happy. More than happy, she was in love. After Edward was ripped from her life, Bella barely survived. But that was the thing about survival, it made you stronger. Bella had remained relatively catatonic for the first six months, dotted only by brief reprieves brought on by Jacob. Her cravings for Edward had lessened and waned until they were more of a dull ache in the back of her thoughts. But they WERE still there.

Falling in love with Jacob had been an accident. Bella wasn't even sure when it happened. His friendship was all that brought her back from the brink of darkness. And he had saved her. More than once.

_Bella faced Laurent in the clearing. She actually seemed pleased to see him, to see some reminder of what she'd lost. It was a mistake._

"_Look at it this way, Bella. You're very lucky I was the one to find you."_

"_Am I?" she mouthed, faltering another step back. Laurent followed, lithe and graceful._

"_Yes," he assured me. "I'll be very quick, you won't feel a thing, I promise. Oh, I'll lie to Victoria about that later, naturally, just to placate her. But if you knew what she had planned for you, Bella…" He shook his head with a slow movement, almost as if in disgust. "I swear you'd be thanking me for this."_

_There was a part of Bella that almost wanted to give in. What did she have left to lose, but her life? Laurent moved closer and Bella barely flinched, unconsciously taking a step backwards. She stumbled, her feet betraying her and she was instantly greeted by solid, cold arms. For a brief moment, she actually believed that Edward had come for her. Her confusion was quickly nullified when she felt Laurent's sharp teeth penetrate the flesh of her shoulder. Her body slumped and her vision blurred. In the distance, she heard an animal cry and then everything disappeared._

She had learned later that Sam, Jacob and the rest of the pack had appeared in the clearing. They were too late to save her human life, but her soul was another story. For three days, she was aware of nothing but the burning. Occasionally she sensed the presence of another being, until the third day she thought that it was imagined. As the burning began to subside, she realized that it had been Jacob who had lay with her. She knew the pack would have wanted to destroy her, no matter her connection to Jacob, or Charlie. And so Jacob had saved her again.

Jacob never hesitated. He didn't care what Bella had become. His love for her was innocent and true and was greater than anything he could imagine. If Bella could love him as a monster, he could owe her the same. Their relationship had grown quickly after. There had been difficulties. Charlie for one, the pack for another. But eventually, Charlie had come to terms with Bella's transformation. They had adopted a "don't ask, don't tell" policy. The pack also learned that Bella was no danger to them, especially as she had adapted quickly, hunting only animals. Sam and Leah each considered her a close friend.

Jacob had proposed only recently. His biological age was 21, still three years shy of Bella's. But Jacob looked to be at least 25, and Bella was forever frozen at 19. They were very much the picture of true love. Bella moved to La Push after Billy had passed away the previous year. The house wasn't large, but it was hard for Jacob to be alone. Domesticity pleased Bella. She would cook for Jacob and the pack regularly, and even for Charlie, who had married Sue a few years before. She didn't know if she could have asked for more.

And yet somehow, it was still there. Her love for Edward; vague and dormant in the back of her mind. She didn't think of him. Not often anyway. Her life with Jacob was satisfying and her nonexistent heart felt full, which was quite a feat since she had thought that it could never be repaired. Bella would lay with Jacob, his skin nearly burning hers, until he slept soundly. Then she would slip out of his tight grasp and hunt, or read, or think…it was the nights that she thought that occasionally Edward would come back to her.

Part of the reason that Bella found him to be vague, was that she remembered her entire human life as though it was an intricate dream, shadow filled and hazy. The other part was that she had finally come to understand that he had tried to save her, spare her somehow from what he was, what he thought he was. Edward had not been a villain, despite his urgings to her at the beginning. He would not have hurt her, Bella was sure of that. She thought of those that she loved, knowing that she couldn't hurt them even if she wanted.

The breeze blew suddenly from the sea. From where Bella sat, on the edge of an impossibly steep cliff, she could smell the salt hanging thickly in the air. The sky was the hazy black that always preceded the grayish purple just before sunrise.

"It's always darkest before the dawn," Bella thought to herself, almost laughing at the old adage she'd heard time and time again. But how true that statement was for her. Before she had been turned, she had been miserable, empty….alone. Now she was content. She took an unnecessary, deep breath and closed her eyes. She tried to picture Edward. Even his features seemed hazy to her now. It was only in the darkest, dark of night she allowed herself these thoughts, because all other moments of her life belonged to Jacob. And he truly deserved them.

When Bella opened her eyes again, the sky had turned a dark shade of purple. She banished her thoughts to the back of her head, where she would retrieve them again someday, and returned to the loving arms of her Jacob.

**I will be writing longer chapters, but I had to set the story up. Review, let me know what you think and I will update! Thx! -Ashley**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi everyone-**

**Sorry it took me SO long to get this up. I just moved to Arizona (Phoenix actually) so that my boyfriend could open a restaurant...needless to say, the restaurant is open finally, and things have quieted down quite a bit, so expect regular updates. **

**Thanks for the reviews for my last chapter - and to answer your question, YES, I will be writing this differently than all of the "Edward comes back, Bella's changed, she forgives him and they go right back to where they were" stories. I think Jacob is a good guy. I also think that after her transformation, Bella's past would be a bit hazy like the Cullen's explained to her that theirs had been, so her absolute need for Edward wouldn't really be as strong. ANYWAYS. I think I'm going to be posting every couple of days, and the chapters will start getting longer. I just didn't want anyone to think that I'd forgotten about them.**

**THX.**

**-Ashley**

Chapter 2

It was raining, again. In her human life the rain had depressed Bella. It was cold and wet and incessant. Now, however, Bella found herself enjoying the constant drizzle that surrounded her. Not only did it allow her to keep up her façade of normalcy, but she could no longer feel cold, or wet. On days where the sun shone clearly through the clouds, Bella felt like a prisoner. The diamond-like glimmer from her skin was startling, even to those who knew that it was there.

Bella looked out the window moments before human ears would hear the booming thunder. Her magnified senses, though a gift, often took the pleasure out of simple things. For example, she could always hear Jacob before he arrived at the house, whether on foot or in a vehicle. Just once, she thought, she would like to hear the door open and excitedly rush into his arms. Bella was absorbed in her reverie so much that she almost missed the telltale signs of movement approaching. She moved towards the door and opened it just as the pack, led by Jacob, moved into view.

"Hi Bells," he breathed heavily, once he had regained his human form, leaning forward to brush his lips gently across her cool jaw line. To Bella the heated graze felt like heaven. She smiled and lithely shifted to allow the tall men and lone woman access to her home. Sam, Leah, Embry, Quil, Jared, Seth and Sam greeted her briefly before taking a seat at the large mahogany table. It didn't take any of her extra senses to know that something was wrong. She sent a worried glance to Jacob, who looked deep in thought.

Jacob moved to the head of the table. He didn't sit, instead he laid his forearms across the back of the chair and leaned toward the others. He bowed his head briefly before roughly clearing his throat. When he looked up, Bella's eyes widened in surprise. Jacob looked pained. He held her gaze briefly before turning to look at the group gathered in front of him. "What are we going to do?'

Nobody said anything and no one would meet Jacob's gaze, or Bella's. Bella looked to Jacob again. "What is going on?" Her voice sounded like a beautiful birdsong.

Jacob locked her gaze, fire burned in his eyes, whatever feelings he was having were clearly strong. He opened his mouth hesitantly to speak, twice, before shutting it and turning to the pack for support.

It was Leah who spoke next, "There are vampires…in Forks." Bella immediately moved to Jacob's side, clutching his burning hand in her own. He looked at her again, under heavy eyes and Bella immediately identified his emotion. Jacob was scared. She turned his face gently with her fingertips so that he was facing her fully. Intimately, as though they didn't have an audience, Bella leaned up and placed her lips, softly and lingering on Jacobs. She moved back slowly, savoring the moment, her eyes still shut and then she moved quickly to the other room.

Bella slipped silently from the house. She knew that the pack would never feel comfortable discussing vampires and the concerns that came with them in her presence. Though they accepted her, they hadn't always. The pack had come to understand that Bella was different than others of her kind. Her compassion and empathy had led to an immediate refusal to drink human blood. The pack hadn't been convinced, understandably, as Bella's continued presence meant further transformations for the youth of La Push, for the current pack's future generations. Bella had stayed away from La Push, instead seeing Jacob across the treaty line in Forks. Sometimes her and Jacob would rendezvous past Port Angeles, across the Juan de Fuca Straight in Victoria, Canada.

Over time the pack realized that not only did they need Jacob to be close, but there were no more transformations. It seemed, that because Jacob, the alpha, didn't deem Bella to be a threat, the entire tribe didn't feel the age old push to transform. Billy fell ill a short time later, and Jacob and Billy were both grateful for Bella's supportive presence til the end.

Bella moved far enough away from the house that she couldn't hear even a whisper. She perched on a boulder and looked to the sky above her. Twilight. It had once been such a magical time for her. Her past was still shrouded in shadows, things as regular and reoccurring as dinner with Renee seemed like distant dreams. But she did remember the significance that the word once held for her, even if she couldn't recall exactly why.

For the first time, Bella's mind briefly processed the thought that the vampires that had come to Forks could be the same as those from her past. It didn't matter though, Bella had never longed for them much after her transformation, and when she had it was only to understand the nuances of her new life. They were little more than past memories, mingled in with Christmas's and school days.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Jacob couldn't believe that this was happening. His thoughts had been so overwhelming that many of the pack had changed almost a mile away from the house and continued on foot to escape them.

"Is it them?" Sam asked softly.

Jacob shrugged exaggeratedly, "who else would it be?"

"We don't know that for sure," Leah offered. "And if it is, isn't it better for us? We know what the Cullens are…"

"And what they're capable of," Sam reasoned. Jacob nodded as he listened, his hands clenched tightly, leaving small indents on the edge of the table. Bella wouldn't be pleased. He smiled ruefully in spite of himself. Possibly the most devastating thing to happen to him, the one thing that could separate him and Bella for eternity was happening, and he was worried about what she would think about him damaging the furniture.

He looked up swiftly, his gaze sweeping the room. "I won't let him take her." His voice resounded loudly in the small space.

No one responded immediately, each seemed to mull over the words hanging in the air.

Seth was the first to speak. He had become especially protective of Bella after his transformation, and was the first of the pack to think of her as family, aside from Jacob. With the marriage of his mother, Sue, to Charlie two years earlier, his borderline overprotective feelings towards Bella were solidified.

"I don't think that they've come for her. If they had, wouldn't they have come earlier?"

This explanation seemed reasonable to Jacob.

"The treaty is still in place, they have no right to cross the boundary," Sam reminded. "Bella could have gone to find them you know. But she didn't. She already chose you Jacob."

Jacob mulled over this piece of information. Yes, Bella had chosen to stay with him. She seemed content to leave her past life where it died, alone in the meadow. He knew that Bella was his, that this intruder on their lives didn't deserved her, but he still worried what would happen when she was faced with her old life, standing in front of her.

"Well, what are we going to do?" Leah asked. The tension was again palpable. No one wanted to make the decision, yet only one ultimately could.

"I believe it's time to arrange a meeting," Jacob answered definitively, before going to retrieve his Bella and bring her home.

**What did you think? Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions. I think that this is a more realistic portrayal of how Jacob would have been...while I prefer her with Edward, I hate that in these types of stories Jacob is always a bad guy. After writing this chapter, I'm almost a little torn about who she should end up with at the end of it. THOUGHTS? **


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N- Here is another chapter for you all! Thanks to everyone who reviewed that last chapter. I am pleased. Although there are several who have favorited the story and read it without leaving reviews. I WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK! I know that I'm not a perfect author, questions, concerns? Tell me. The plot is really heating up and even I don't know what's going to happen. Check it out and please let me know what you think! -Ashley**

Chapter 3

The wolves tore through the foliage around them, their fur damp from the remnants of the morning's storm. Jacob had called a meeting only hours before. His thoughts were maddening as they approached the clearing, the designated meeting spot. Jacob had chosen this spot intentionally. He knew that it had been a place of significance when Bella had belonged to Edward. He blamed Edward for Bella's transformation, for leaving her surrounded by danger without the blink of an eye. He wanted to feel Edward's hurt.

Jacob wondered briefly whether he would change everything if he could. If Edward hadn't left, Bella would never have been changed, but she also wouldn't be weeks away from marrying him. He dismissed the thoughts as quickly as they had come, not wanting to burden the pack, especially with a confrontation at hand.

Jacob wasn't an angry or malicious person. He only felt that punishment was due where punishment was earned. Let Edward even ask about Bella and see what happened to him. Jacob would die rather than let that leech lay eyes on her ever again.

In an instant, Sam's voice was in his head. "It's not coming to death blows. Remember that. I know how you feel about this, and we all support you. Right now we're here to discuss the treaty."

Jacob nodded slowly in understanding. The tension in the pack was palpable as they stepped into the clearing. Jacob's sharpened senses told him that the bloodsuckers were still over a mile away, though he knew that they could clear that distance in roughly a minute. He leaned back on his haunches. The pack moved up closer behind him in support. Bella was their family, too.

It felt like hours had passed when they saw the first of the seven figures emerge from the opposite side of the clearing. They hesitantly moved forward.

The weather was cool today, with moisture hanging heavily in the air. A dense haze had settled on Northern Washington, adding to the ominous concern growing in Jacob as the pack soundlessly moved forward.

Jacob briefly flashed back to that day, years ago when he'd found Bella almost in the exact spot where he stood. She was pale, her blood, fresh and near purple rushed from a wound near her collar bone. He had tried to stop the bleeding. But before he could offer any legitimate kind of aid, he'd been struck by her attacker. It hadn't taken more than two minutes to disassemble the vampire and dispose of the pieces, but by then it was too late, Bella had already succumbed to the burning.

Jacob swallowed hard. He could see their faces now, exactly as he'd remembered them, stony and white.

"Remember," Leah's voice rang out clearly, "the young one reads minds. Clear Bella from your thoughts if you can." Though they hadn't always seen eye to eye, Jacob was grateful to Leah for this revelation. His gut told him that they had no malicious intent, but his heart hurt thinking that they'd returned for Bella. His sentiment would've been easily readable with only a moment's perusal of his mind. If they hadn't come back to take Bella, he had no intention of giving anything about her away, lest they change their minds.

Both groups came do a dead stop in what visually appeared to be the dead center of the clearing, as though they were both toeing an invisible line. No one spoke for a minute, instead listening to the crackles and snaps of the forest, waiting.

One of the bloodsuckers spoke first. Jacob recognized him as the leader, Carlisle. "We mean no disrespect to your people."

Jacob snorted loudly, but as a sign of respect indicated that Sam and Quil follow him into the forest to phase into their human forms. As they began to move, the largest of the vampires growled and crouched slightly.

"Relax, Emmett," a voice mumbled quietly. "They are only going to change forms."

Jacob looked back briefly from the edge of the tree line. He realized that it had been Edward who had spoken. He bristled as a low growl was emitted from his throat. If Edward had any idea what it was about, he didn't verbalize it to his family.

Jacob and the others phased quickly and moved back towards the rest of the pack and the vampires.

Carlisle smiled warmly as they approached. He reached out his hand as though to greet Jacob. Jacob looked at the hand momentarily before speaking, without extending the same gesture.

"What are you doing here, leeches," two of the vampire females looked upset while one, the smallest bared her teeth in a snarl.

"That's enough Alice," Carlisle quieted, moving his hand back to his side and looking quickly at the others. "It's a valid question."

He focused his attention back to Jacob before he continued. "As you know, we left this area some time ago. However, when we left, the treaty remained intact. We come to honor that agreement and ask your permission to inhabit the land north of the treaty border again."

Jacob mulled this thought over for a minute. The thought of leeches inhabiting near by land again was concerning for many reasons. He was careful to keep his number one reason off his mind, instead focusing on the future transformations that it might encourage within the tribe. He loathed what he became when he transformed, though he had never done anything regrettable. He knew that it was no way to live, even though they hadn't had to transform much since the leeches had left.

He realized that Edward (the word even felt disgusting on his tongue) was mumbling under his breath at an almost inaudible volume, telling the other's Jacob's thoughts most likely. His suspicions were confirmed moments later.

"I can assure you, we are no threat to humans, or your tribe's way of life. We simply want to continue a quiet existence here, our home."

"Then why did you leave?" the question had no sooner left Jacob's thoughts, on their way to his mouth before Edward reacted.

He surged forward, standing with Carlisle, the others a few feet behind. "We left because it was necessary. We left because it was the only way to save a life. It wasn't safe..."

It was Jacob's turn to react. His whole body began to shake. Sam put a strong arm across his chest, resting a sturdy palm against Jacob's pectoral muscle. Jacob knew that he could have broken the hold easily, as it was not meant to hold him in place. Instead, he calmed, reducing the shaking to a minor twitch.

Jacob and Edward appraised each other briefly. Edward barely remembered Jacob, he was the son of a friend of Bella's father, as he recalled. Contrastly, Jacob had a strong understanding of just who and what Edward was. Though he was older than Jacob by many, many years, his appearance seemed childlike in comparison. Edward appeared warn, if he could sleep, Jacob guessed he wouldn't have done so in days. Edward's jaw tensed angrily as Jacob analyzed him.

Jacob turned to the pack and let out a low chuckle, flashing his teeth briefly in amusement. While he was doing so, his mind faltered briefly, but long enough for Edward to glimpse what was in it.

"NO!" He cried in a high-inhuman voice. The others look startled. Sam and Quil phased, prepared for an attack, leaving only Jacob in human form. Jacob wasn't sure what was about to come, but sensed no immediate danger.

"No," Edward echoed himself. His voice was considerably lower this time. Carlisle placed a hand on Edward's shoulder, his face perplexed and inquisitive. Now Edward was shaking. He looked around before he found the place of his interest, dropping to his knees on the cold, wet ground. "No, tell me it's not true."

Jacob realized what Edward was seeing, his most recent thoughts of Bella, bleeding on the forest floor. "Tell me she's not gone."

Carlisle's wife moved forward and bent to touch Edward's shoulder lightly. He shuddered briefly at her touch. Carlisle looked confused, but the small one, Alice, spoke first.

"What is going on?" her eyes were wild and flickered between her fallen brother and Jacob. Jacob couldn't speak. He was shocked. Edward hadn't returned for Bella, he didn't even know she was here. And now, he believed that she was dead.

"Bella-" Edward began. Jacob bristled and the other vampires appeared stunned, having not heard that name in years.

"Don't say her name," Jacob bellowed. "You don't deserve to say her name." All eyes were on Jacob briefly and then on Edward, awaiting his response.

"Edward, what's going on?" Alice asked again, her tone hesitant and fearful.

"Bella, she….she's, dead," he stammered, slouching closer to the ground, his body showing defeat.

"No!" Alice cried out. She searched her brother's head for the memory he had stolen from Jacob. Her family was looking to her for answers. "Laurent." She stated quietly. The entire group of vampires looked defeated. Jacob didn't want to watch this anymore.

"You can stay, but if even one of you cross the treaty line, that will be the end. Am I clear?" his voice boomed over the grieving silence. Carlisle nodded briefly.

Jacob turned, in a partial crouch preparing to phase when Edward's voice stopped him dead, "wait." His words were loaded with venom, hate and contempt. Jacob turned quickly, prepared to revoke the newly reinstated treaty.

Edward's position had changed significantly. He was no longer slumped forward, instead he was crouching, teeth bared. He only said two words, but they were enough for Jacob to know that he had failed.

"She's alive."

**Alright everyone. Please let me know what you think. It's getting to the good parts, now. Will it be Jacob or Edward? Even I don't know the answer to that. Truly. I don't even know if Edward will get to see Bella next chapter. But I will tell you, Bella will not just fall for Edward again in the course of a chapter, or two or three....alright enough of a preview, intrigued? Please Review. -Ashley**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi everyone! I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. I am a little disappointed that I've only heard from two of you on your opinions. Who should Bella end up with? I have one vote for Jacob and one for Edward. I really do prefer her with Edward, but I love the Jacob that I've created...he's so sweet and SO in love with Bella...you'll see what I mean in a moment. Next chapter is my fav by far. Enjoy and let me know what you think! -Ashley**

Chapter 4

Jacob stood motionless. Time seemed to stop as he surveyed his surroundings. Edward still crouched threateningly. Carlisle looked slowly between Jacob and Edward, his hand placed soothingly on his wife's forearm. Alice's eyes were narrowed, a slight growl coming from her pursed lips. The other female had her hand pressed across Emmett's chest, seemingly holding him in place. The final male stood behind all of them, his eyes closed, index and middle fingers pressed firmly to his temples.

The pack hovered closely behind Jacob. Jacob was grateful for his current human form. His head was swimming with thoughts from his love to Bella to his hatred of Edward. He knew he had burdened the others with his fears of this very moment for years.

It seemed like hours had passed when really it had only been seconds.

"Where is she?" Edward demanded.

This broke Jacob out of his contemplation. His body began to shake again and he lowered himself to the ground, practically mirroring Edward's stance. "You vacated the right to ask that question when you left her," he spat hatefully.

Edward looked briefly stunned. Hurt flashed across his face before he regained his threatening façade.

Alice moved forward tentatively. She placed her hand on Edward's shoulder briefly as she moved past him. "Jacob, is she okay?" Her voice seemed timid and this diffused Jacob's anger slightly.

Jacob thought about not answering. He wanted to desperately to turn and run, knowing that Carlisle wouldn't let them cross the treaty line. He wanted to gather Bella, HIS Bella and flee. He would run to the ends of the earth to keep her away from Edward Cullen. But in his right mind he knew that it wasn't reasonable. That no matter where he went, Edward would follow, never giving up the search for Bella. He looked to Edward briefly. Edward looked smug, clearly reading Jacob's thoughts. He nodded ever so slightly, confirming Jacob's suspicion.

Jacob looked back towards Alice. "She's wonderful. She's happy, okay?" Jacob ran both hands through his hair. He turned to look at the pack, pleadingly. As if they understood, they retreated slightly, lingering at the edge of the clearing, just out of range to hear what he was about to say next.

"She was ruined when you left," Jacob began, addressing all of their departure instead of just Edwards. "Do you know that she was practically catatonic when Sam found her in the woods? She had tried to follow you!" His words were coming out quickly, lit with emotion. His voice had lowered. He looked at Edward, who no longer looked posed for an attack. "She was suffering from hypothermia, God, she could have DIED! And you just – you left her!"

"It took months before she was even a shell of her former self." Jacob's mind flashed over what happened next and he swallowed like he was in pain. "We were happy. I thought once she started to come out of it that we would be able to have a normal life. Together." He emphasized the last word, looking directly at Edward, who wouldn't meet his gaze. "She came here," Jacob threw his hands in the air looking wildly around. "She came here and he found her, one of the vampires that had been after her. I had no idea, but YOU did. You left her unprotected."

Jacob began to choke on his words, emotion pouring from his body. "By the time I got here, there was nothing that I could do. I killed him. I…did everything that I could, but by the time I got back to her she'd lost so much blood and she – she was screaming. She was burning alive from the inside out." Jacob's voice turned angry again and his eyes flashed violently at the entire group of vampires.

"Please," he mumbled through clenched teeth, tears pouring openly down his cheeks. "Please just leave us. She's happy. We're happy."

No one said anything, and no one would meet his eye. He turned and retreated slowly from the clearing. As he reached the edge, he turned to look at the vampires again. They hadn't moved.

"Stay on this side of the treaty line, I don't think that I have to remind you what will happen if you cross…" he let his voice trail off and phased.

Moments later, he was gone.

**So there you have it. Jacob sure loves Bella. What does Edward think of everything? Well you'll find out in the next chapter. And what does Bella think? You'll find that out soon, too. The next chapter really is my fav so far. I don't have much written past the next chapter, so I'm being serious when I ask if you think that Bella should be with Jacob or Edward. Let me know what you think, comments, questions, etc. Thanks! -Ashley**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N- Hey everyone! Well, here's another chapter. It covers a lot of what Edward is thinking and feeling. I really like it a lot. Anyways, thanks for the reviews! I got ten for that last chapter and I was a very happy girl. I will be updating again tomorrow or Wednesday. I had a lot more that I wanted to include in this chapter, but it ended at a really powerful place, I thought...so you'll be getting another update really quickly, and it will likely be longer. I saw the movie on Saturday night....I have to say I was...well, I'll put my thoughts at the end of the chapter. **

**Thanks again to everyone who reviewed. Everyone is still pretty torn between Edward and Jacob, although my favorite vote (from enchantedlight) who says that she should be able to have both. I also totally agree with her when she says the whole Jacob/Nessie relationship creeps her out. It totally creeps me out, too. Anyone else?**

**Alright everyone, read on, enjoy and let me know what you think!**

**Thx -Ashley  
**

Chapter 5

After the wolves had left the clearing, the vampires stood stunned.

"Edward-" Carlisle reached a hand towards his oldest son.

"Leave me. Please-" he choked, not meeting their eyes. Everyone began to retreat but Alice. She looked lovingly at her brother and motioned the others out of the clearing. Once she knew that they were all out of earshot, she tried again.

"Edward…"

He turned slowly; his gaze was haunted and pained. In the time that they had left Bella, Edward's emotions had run the gambit. He had been hateful, spiteful, depressed, angry and just about every other negative emotion. He had been almost impossible to live with. But this seemed to be all of those emotions tied into one. Alice was grateful that Jasper had left with the others. No telling what Edward's emotions would do to him right now.

"I don't know-" he began, his eyes looking around wildly. He dropped to his knees where Laurent had shed Bella's blood, a wail emerged from his lips. If anyone had been within a mile radius they would have thought some sort of savage animal had emitted the noise.

Alice crouched slowly next to him, her movements fluid and graceful. She hesitated before putting a hand on his forearm.

"What are you thinking?"

Edward shook his head slowly, eyes downcast. "I don't know what to think. Alice, I thought that you said you couldn't see her here…"

"I couldn't Edward. I haven't been able to see her father either. I was certain that they had both left. I focused really hard on making sure, you know that. The only explanation that I can come up with is that it's because she's-" Alice paused, her voice suddenly lower. "She's with the werewolves."

Edward knew that Alice had never been able to see them, even when the family had been to this area decades before, Alice could never foresee their behavior. It was an interesting protection, and one that extended to all others on their land, and had apparently been extended to Bella.

"If she's happy, I won't interfere," Edward stated decisively. It was like he was leaving her all over again.

"Edward, no one would blame you if you fought for her. No one. Not even Rosalie. Don't you understand? This was the one thing that you were afraid of! The danger that loomed for Bella only threatened her HUMAN life when we were around. She's like us now…there's nothing that should keep you apart." Alice was frantic, pacing back and forth in front of Edward.

"You didn't see his thoughts Alice," Edward responded, his voice echoing his defeat. "She looks so happy. She smiles, she laughs, she's so beautiful…"

Alice sighed understanding that there was nothing more to be said about his decision now. Instead, she placed her lips briefly on Edward's forehead and was gone.

For Edward, the silence of the moment was deafening. He lay in the soft bed of leaves and branches that blanketed the clearing, remembering the moment when he had brought Bella here, fearing that he might kill her. He closed his eyes imagining her skin, so warm that it had almost felt searing, as she traced the shape of his face with her fingertips. He would have given his life tomorrow just to have her with him for a moment.

He had been honest with Alice when he had said that Bella looked happy. She looked positively radiant. Edward's hesitation to allow Bella to be changed, or to change her himself had centered around more than the fear of taking her soul. It certainly had plenty to do with that. But even more prevalent were Edward's other fears. He worried that after some time, she would resent him, that she would wish that she was growing old or having children. There was also a part of him that selfishly wanted her to stay just the way that she was.

He loved the feel of her in his arms, of being able to play the hero every time she tripped over own two feet. He loved the way she mumbled in her sleep, sometimes even saying his name chastely. He loved the way her face flashed red as the heat moved up her cheeks in embarrassment and the way that she would forget to breathe when they kissed. If he had changed her, that would have all changed, too.

But there were some things that seemed as though they hadn't fully changed. After all, Edward reasoned, he still looked much like he had before his transformation, or so Carlisle said. Bella's eyes held the same amber coloring as the rest of his family. But they also seemed so much deeper, probing, as though flecks of Bella's curious brown eyes dotted her irises. Her cheeks, normally so pale, held a light pink tint, reminiscent of her dramatic blush when she'd been human.

While Bella had inherited all of the lithe movements that came with being a vampire, there was something so inherently…Bella about the way that she moved.

Edward really wanted to mean what he'd said to Alice. He really wanted to allow Bella to live her life. After all, he had been the one to leave. From what he'd seen in Jacob's mind, he truly had broken Bella, nearly killed her himself. He didn't deserve the spoils of someone else's actions. He didn't deserve to take happy Bella from Jacob when Jacob had fixed her, when he had fixed Edward's devastating mistake. Who was he to even think that Bella would come with him? She probably hated him, God knows he hated himself.

As much as he wanted to mean what he said to Alice there was a part of him that couldn't let Bella go. He had lived for her since he'd left her and the temptation of knowing that they could truly be together forever was more than enough to make him second guess himself. He belonged with Bella, didn't he? She was made for him. Her blood sang to him, tempted him and possessed him. He had to have her. What claim did Jacob have to her?

Edward shook the thoughts from his mind. His anger was mounting and he knew that making a decision in that mindset could ruin any chance that he had to be with Bella. He didn't even know if going after her WAS the right decision. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, out of habit rather than necessity. Though he had been a vampire much longer than he'd been human, he still found the gesture relaxing. Somewhere in the middle of his breath, the scent hit him.

It was subdued, hidden deep bellow the foliage. It could have been weeks old, but it was her. And still, she sang to him.

**Alright and there you have it. Now on to my movie review: I half liked it. What I mean by that is that it was so hit or miss. Some of the characters (Mike, Jessica, Em, Rose, Charlie (sometimes) and most of the time Edward) were very well cast. Especially Mike and Jessica, I loved them! I felt like Angela, Eric and Tyler were different than I imagined them to be, both physically and in character. I also didn't love kristen stewart as Bella sometimes (though sometimes I did). Carlisle's character creeped me out with the way that he talked...but mostly, I hated all of the changes in the plot. I know some of them were little, but some were really significant. (I know I'm ranting, sorry - but one of my biggest issues is that Mike talks about how prom is two weeks away right near the beginning and then they go to prom at the end which makes it seem like Bella and Edward fall in love and everything happens in two weeks instead of over months...isn't it a winter dance that's supposed to be at the beginning?) Anyways, I liked parts of it - I really wished that there would have been more Alice (and Jasper, in the movie he seemed really creepy...) and the girl that played Alice wasn't pixie enough for me. Oh, and ONE last thing. I know Jacob is supposed to have long hair and everything but he looked more like a grimy punk kid than the future potential love interest. (Except when they were on the beach) I also thought when he was wearing the ski cap he looked like the guy from Jay and Silent Bob....google it if you're not familiar.**

**Alright enough, I could go on and on about specific things that I liked and didn't. If you want to chat about it, PM me. But I would love to know what you think about the chapter or what you thought about the movie, how about both? I am not going to threaten to not update until I get X number of reviews, but I will tell you that it DOES make me update faster and more excited to write when I know you're excited. SO? Let me know what you think! Thx -Ashley  
**


	6. Chapter 6

**Alright, Alright, Alright. I am SORRY. I know I said that there would be a new chapter last Tuesday or Wednesday. We had a death in the family on Monday and all I wanted to do was write, but every time I tried to do it, it wasn't coming out right. I wrote a few paragraphs and deleted them a few different days. This morning I got a review from madelyn who literally said that she was mad at me. (I am so sorry) so here you are, twice as long as usual. I am typically wholly against posting on weekends because I feel like less people read and review. That being said, please review and let me know what you think.**

**Thanks -Ashley  
**

Chapter 6

Bella had waited for Jacob to return. She'd spoken to Leah almost two hours earlier so she knew that the meeting had ended long before. Jacob had only told her a few details before he left, Leah was a little bit looser with the explanation. From what Bella understood, the meeting had gone to plan. Edward had asked for her, Jacob had gotten angry and that was about it. Leah had made it all sound relatively boring. The most important thing was that the treaty was upheld.

Bella didn't know what she thought about Edward asking about her. She would think about it later. Jacob's anger deserved her attention now. His temper, usually kept completely under control, could be volatile. Only once in their time together had he lost his temper towards her. He had pushed her against the wall, trembling before she had snarled and moved across the room in an instant. He had realized his mistake immediately, apologizing to her profusely before she accepted it. But Bella had still carried that moment with her, remembering the look of intense hatred that had emanated from his eyes. That Jacob was not her Jacob and that Jacob worried her. His unpredictable temper made him a time bomb and Bella couldn't help but wonder where he was.

Bella called Leah back to see if she'd heard anything. She hadn't, but she said that Sam had called and Jacob wanted to have a meeting at the house, so he would likely be home shortly. After Bella hung up the phone, uncomfortable silence filled the house. She focused, listening quietly to see if she could hear him approaching. She waited for almost a half an hour before the heard the tell tale rustle of a wolf nearing the house. She threw the screen door open, nearly ripping it from its hinges. Jacob looked almost sheepish as he transformed in front of her and started towards the house.

"Where have you been, Jake?" she demanded, her voice thick with emotion. "I talked to Leah and she told me you should have been home hours ago. With everything that's been going on, I was….I was, worried about you." Her voice wavered slightly and became relatively quiet.

"Oh Bells, you know you never need to worry about me," Jacob reached towards her face, cupping the cool marble surface of her skin in his palm. "I was just thinking, calming down a little before I came home."

Bella moved aside and followed Jacob into the house. The door groaned in protest as she closed it. Between the two of them, they had ruined several doors and this one appeared to soon need replacing. Jacob was seated at the large dining room table, leaned back in his chair with his long legs stretched out before him and Bella relaxed slightly. He appeared to have dealt with his anger during his absence. Bella sat two chairs down from him, just to be sure.

"Well, how did everything go?" she asked softly.

Jacob cocked an eyebrow up as a slight shadow of resentment danced across his stubbled chin. His jaw tensed before he responded. "The treaty remains in place. Should you ever encounter one of them across the treaty line, it is your duty as part of this tribe, as part of my family, to kill them. Am I clear?" His voice was calm but his words held venom and Bella nodded, absentmindedly standing and moving to the sink. She gripped the edges of the counter, willing her resentment towards Jacob to dissipate.

She didn't know what made Jacob hate this coven of vampires so much. They had left to keep her safe. Shouldn't he be grateful of that? They clearly were no longer a threat to her, so why was Jacob being so cold? Bella was pulled out of her thoughts by the sound of movement quickly approaching the house.

"The pack is here," she told Jacob, her voice dull. She continued to face the window above the sink.

"Bells-" he began, sensing her hostility. He was interrupted by the door and Leah, Seth, Embry and Sam strolled into the kitchen.

They greeted Bella warmly and took their seats at the table. Leah hugged Bella tightly.

"I told you he would come home soon," Leah whispered so softly that Bella barely heard it. Bella nodded and smiled weakly.

"Come sit down, Bella," Seth called from the table. Bella turned and moved towards the heavy table that commanded almost all of the space in her kitchen. Before she could move to sit, Jacob placed his hand on her forearm gently.

"Actually, Bella…I was thinking that maybe it would be a good time for you to hunt." The implication of his words was clear. She was not welcome to stay. Bella's eyes darted to Jacob. His jaw was set and he was looking straight ahead. She pulled away from Jacob's touch and quickly locked eyes with Leah. The disapproval written across her face was clear. Bella stepped briefly into the bedroom and grabbed a light jacket. It was chilly tonight and hours earlier than she would normally leave the house. The last thing she needed was anyone giving her any extra attention because she wasn't dressed for the weather.

Bella let the door slam satisfactorily behind her with a sickening smack. It would surely need to be replaced in the next few days now. The door opened and closed again and Bella didn't bother turning around, assuming that Jacob had followed her. She wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of her attention.

"Bell." Leah's clear voice rang out and Bella slowed, allowing her friend and now sister to catch up. She was pleased that she wouldn't have to talk to Jacob, but annoyed that he didn't think to follow.

"Are you okay?"

Bella rubber her hands across her face before answering. "Yeah, I just don't know why Jacob feels that he needs to act this way towards me." Bella thought that she'd just been angry, but after hearing her own words, the hurt was evident.

"Rightfully so," Leah answered. "His attitude it bullshit. Bella, I think he's afraid that you're going to leave him."

Bella scoffed loudly and thought about laughing before realizing that they were awfully close to the house and could still be overheard. "I have NO reason to leave Jacob! Why is he so concerned about it? So a group of my kind has returned to the area! I don't even remember much about them. If I don't remember them, what makes him think that I would want anything to do with them?" Her voice had reached a relatively loud volume and Bella secretly hoped that Jacob could hear her and see how ridiculous he was being.

Leah moved them both further from the house, clearly wanting the next thing that she said to be for Bella's ears only. "Bella, you were so in love with him, with Edward. Jacob wants to do everything to make sure that you don't remember that, even if he has to kill every single one of them. I think he secretly hopes that they do come to look for you, just so that he can have the pleasure. But truthfully, I don't know that you don't belong with him, with them."

Bella was stunned. Her mind, which had been working quickly went immediately blank.

Leah continued, "what I mean by that, is that they are your kind. I'm not trying to get rid of you. We are sworn enemies Bell, do you know that?"

Bella did know that the wolves and the "cold ones" had generations of history and folklore behind their hate for one another. She didn't think about it often, because obviously it could be overcome. She had lived with the wolves since shortly after her transformation and considered them family. The only one who had ever indicated that there was any standing hostility between their kinds was Jacob.

Leah sighed. "Do you know that I worry about you? Jacob is the only one who can't seem to hold his temper, who still phases sometimes on impulse instead of by choice. I know that he can't hurt you," Leah paused and knocked jokingly on Bella's marble flesh. "I also know that he would never try to rip you to pieces, but the fact that he could think that about others of your kind, that he would do it in a second, that concerns me."

Both women stiffened as another person approached them. It was Sam. He looked sheepishly at Bella and Leah. "Leah, Jacob needs you inside, we're starting. And Bella," he paused, "Jacob wanted me to tell you that since the treaty is back in place, you need to stay on our side of the line." He was sorry, Bella could read it all over his face and in his body language. His head hung slightly and his lips formed a slight frown. Bella placed a cool hand on his burning forearm as a sign that everything was okay and nodded gently.

"Think about what I said," Leah reminded gently. Bella locked eyes with her briefly before disappearing into the woods.

________________________________________________________________________

Once Leah and Sam had returned and all were seated at the table Jacob began. "We need to be prepared, in case they cross the treaty line."

Leah studied Jacob's face briefly, and he looked suspiciously hopeful, just as she'd suspected.

"Jacob," Sam's soothing voice rang clearly. "I don't think that they'll cross. I know that you're very protective of Bella, but I don't think that we should let that cloud the judgment of our actions."

Jacob looked at Sam, mulling his words carefully. Ever since Jacob had taken his rightful place as alpha, he regularly felt contempt from others in the pack. His emotions were much more unguarded and raw than Sam's had been and he did let it dictate his thoughts more than he probably should. But this was Bella. This was the love of his life and no matter how unnecessary it was, he would fight the Cullen's to the death for her. He would risk the entire pack if he had to. That's how much he loved her.

"Thank you Sam. Trust me when I tell you that I hope that we never have to worry about fighting," Jacob reasoned. Leah rolled her eyes. "But, I do think that we should be prepared to defend ourselves if that time does come. I have asked Bella not to cross the treaty line, and I will ask you to do the same. We will honor our portion of the treaty."

_______________________________________________________________

Bella moved swiftly through the natural wilderness of La Push. She was furious. She had hunted only days before and Jacob knew it. She had never been excluded from a pack meeting before. She knew that Leah would tell her anything of interest, but she couldn't believe Jacob's nerve. If anything his attitude and secretive actions only made her more interested the other vampires.

Her past was typically hazy at best, though specific memories were often jogged by interactions. She had forgotten much about her human life living with Charlie, but practically every time they were together, she would get reminders of her past, kind of like getting snapshots. They were always soundless and often still images. Charlie giving Bella her truck. Charlie and Bella eating dinner together. But the images always reminded Bella of different things and as a result, much of her human life was once again brought into focus.

Bella didn't remember the Cullens. She remembered their names and little else. Occasionally she would get a snap shot from her interactions with people that would include something about the Cullens. Charlie picking her up at the hospital after some sort of accident she'd had revealed Carlisle Cullen. Another snapshot showed Alice Cullen and Charlie laughing in the kitchen. The recognition ended there.

Didn't Jacob realize that she had no interest in seeking out that part of her life? She was content. She was in love. All Jacob's imposed limitations and rules accomplished was an insatiable curiosity in Bella. What was it about these people that Jacob wanted Bella to stay away from? From what Leah had said, they weren't dangerous. In fact, when they thought that they had been dangerous to her, they left.

Bella continued to run. Before she thought about what she was doing she entered the meadow. She had been changed here. What she had been doing here, she couldn't remember and Jacob had told her that he didn't know, either. Ever since Laurent had changed her, Bella found this place soothing. On some level, Bella acknowledged that it must hold some answers for her, as she had never been coordinated or adventurous and that meant that a place surrounded by miles of forest wouldn't have been a thoughtless choice. She had come here for a reason that day.

The scent of wolves was thick and Bella realized that this must have been where they had met earlier that day. Why would Jacob have called a meeting here? Ever since he had found Bella, Jacob hated this part of forest, and as far as Bella knew, he had never returned. The scent itself was roughly the same as wet fur mixed with earth. Though the scent was never overly appealing to her, Bella had come to identify it with Jacob and almost found it comforting. But not today. Today that same scent that would have calmed her in the past infuriated her. She moved further into the meadow. She hadn't been here in weeks, but when she did come, it had become habit to lay near where she had been bitten and think.

Once when she'd been doing that, shortly after her transformation she'd gotten her first snapshot. She barely remembered it. It had been dreamlike and Bella dismissed it as some sort of hallucination, never committing the details of it to memory, though now she realized after countless other snapshots of her human life, it was likely another gateway to her past, perhaps even the reason that she'd been in the meadow in the first place.

Bella stopped only a few strides from her intended destination, fury bubbling inside of her. She couldn't move any closer and Jacob had made sure of that. The treaty line ran through the meadow, almost at dead center, dividing her from one of the few sources of comfort that she had. How had Jacob managed to deny her this? She was now a prisoner.

Bella allowed her knees to buckle and fell backwards gracefully into the underbrush that cushioned the meadow floor. Her eyes closed as she mulled over the events of the past two days. Leah's words echoed stronger than ever in her mind.

"_But truthfully, I don't know that you don't belong with him, with them."_

Bella cleared her mind of thoughts. She couldn't sleep, but these silent moments alone were close. She was able to refocus and kind of renew herself. A storm was coming, she could feel the rain thick in the air, humidity surrounding her. She felt like she was part of the forest, like she could have lay there forever, eyes closed, with life going on around her.

The wind surged suddenly, corroborating Bella's prediction of the storm. The sweet scent of her hair whipping around her face replaced the heady scent of the wolves. Bella moved the rogue strands from her face and inhaled deeply. The wolves scent was still present, though diminished. What stunned Bella was another scent, both distantly familiar and oddly out of place. Of course the vampires had been here, too.

Bella felt stupid for not realizing it earlier. She lay back down as the wind surged again. This time their sweet scent hit her like a tidal wave. Her eyes shot open wide as the snapshots overwhelmed her mind. A beautiful man with high cheekbones and copper colored hair leaned towards her, his fingers wrapped in her hair. Bella's human form leaned towards him, eyes partially closed. The image faded and was quickly replaced with another. The same person poised between her and a van, seemingly holding it from crushing them. A third image replaced that one. Bella was laying on the forest floor this time, leaning towards him. Her fingers were outstretched as though she were preparing to touch him. Bella knew the image would leave her any second and focused on him for the first time. His skin sparkled and he was beautiful.

This was Edward, Bella knew it.

**There you have it. I love Leah in this story. Well, Let me know what you think. I have so many ideas and this story seems to kind of write itself when I get into the groove of it. Please review! Thx -Ashley**


	7. Chapter 7

**Alright, I am NOT going to apologize for the delay in chapters. It was the holidays and life happens. I AM sorry however to leave anyone hanging. This is the best chapter in my mind so far...things are really heating up (it's also the longest chapter). I think part of the reason that I haven't felt terribly compelled to write lately is because the reviews for this story have really tailed off. I'm not begging for reviews (because I hate when people do that) but when I only get a few reviews for a chapter, it makes it easier to not feel so compelled to update quickly. When I was getting 7+ reviews per chapter, I was updating multiple times a week, now they seem to trickle in...three or four. So I guess, if you guys like this, please let me know? It keeps me more motivated and gets you chapters quicker...**

**I hope everyone had a great holiday season...I got to see my family for the first time in six months since we moved to Phoenix so that was really nice. Alright, here you go!  
**

Chapter 7

Weeks had passed since Bella had first discovered Edward's scent in the clearing. Initially, not much changed. Bella had kept about her usual schedule, hunting, venturing out at night, hanging out with Leah, occasionally visiting with Charlie…but one thing had slowly started to feel different: Jacob. Jacob had seemed distant and moody since the return of the Cullens. He would spend more time out in the woods surrounding La Push than ever before. He told Bella that he had to keep up constant patrols of the boundary line.

"Everyone thinks he's lost it," Leah confided in Bella about two weeks after the treaty meeting in the clearing. "The Cullen's were here for years long ago and then again a few years back without incident. I guess Sam offered to help him patrol and Jacob said no, told him that he wanted to kill the leeches himself."

Bella grimaced and Leah quickly added "his words, not mine."

"He does realize that I am a vampire, too, doesn't he?"

"I should think so," Leah laughed.

Bella joked, but couldn't help but feel threatened by Jacob's mannerisms. He had changed, drastically. He was jumpy and constantly worried. The brief time that he did spend with her was filled with silence and his eyes darting wildly towards the door as if something was beckoning him.

Bella was beginning to feel increasingly trapped. Not only did she feel emotionally isolated, but she literally was trapped on the reservation, forbidden by the treaty from crossing the boundary. Never before had she remembered feeling so miserable.

What Jacob didn't realize was that his behavior, which was designed to protect Bella in his mind, was pushing her closer and closer to the Cullens. Initially, Bella had no interest in the other vampires, she was happy with Jacob. But in the span of a few short weeks, Jacob had only succeeded in making Bella curious of what she was missing. The rare times that Jacob slept, which had become few and far between, Bella ran free. She usually found herself perched at the edge of the cliffs of La Push. As the sea salt hung heavy in the air, Bella found the most peace she had had recently.

She wasn't sure where the thoughts came from, but slowly, they crept into her consciousness. She thought about the meadow, about what going back there might mean to her. He had been there, he might be there again. Bella didn't know what Edward Cullen held for her. But Jacob's behavior suggested that it was something significant, something tangible that could unlock her shadowed past and bring the answers that kept her restless mind turning.

By the fourth week of Jacob's isolation, Bella had made up her mind. What had once been content in her mind was now in a chaotic state of unrest and she would find out how Edward Cullen fit in to all of it.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Edward had done nothing but pace back and forth in his room since they'd met with the wolves. He had to have Bella. She belonged to him, fully and truly. He had thought many times, regardless of the consequences, of crossing the boundary line and taking her. It would mean war, he could even die. But a life without Bella in it wasn't worth living. He had been a shell of what he once was ever since they'd left Forks suddenly. He really had believed that it was in Bella's best interest. That she would suffer only briefly and live the human life that was intended for her. Only In the last few weeks had Edward entertained the idea that maybe a human life was never intended for Bella. Maybe everything was intended to happen exactly how it had, and now nothing should stand between him and his love.

He could hear his families unrest at his constant pacing, his feet falling heavily on the floor echoing throughout the house. Most of them actually seemed relieved that he hadn't done anything rash or devastating yet. Whenever he considered storming La Push, Alice would appear abruptly at the door, a warning hiss seeping from her lips and Edward would dismiss the thoughts temporarily until a few hours later when they would cross his mind again and the entire process would repeat itself.

He was so sure that Bella belonged with him, but every so often the doubt would enter into his mind. She had not come looking for him. She had been turned and he wasn't there to comfort her or to teach her the ways of their kind. She was with Jacob; he had saved her, stayed with her when Edward had left. From the glimpses that he'd seen in Jacob's memories, she was happy. She laughed and despite what she was, she looked so alive, especially compared to the sequence of events that Jacob had forcefully thought, wanting Edward to feel Bella's pain after he left.

Emmett and Jasper had been keeping a close eye on the border, especially as Alice couldn't see anything about the wolves futures. Though the wolves promised to uphold their portion of the treaty, Carlisle suspected that Jacob was a bit of a lose cannon and could be very unpredictable. True to Carlisle's suspicions, Jacob had been running the border practically every moment since their meeting. Occasionally Jacob's thoughts could be overheard by Edward when he reached the northern portion of the border. Edward had never heard such hate and malice from one person. What was even more troubling to Edward was that this man was the one living with his Bella. Edward had felt rage and hatred when James had threatened Bella years before in the Phoenix ballet studio and he knew how hard it had been to separate those feelings from any other feelings that he was having. That situation had not been prolonged. The thoughts coming from Jacob had been constant since their meeting and Edward knew that the likelihood of him taking those thoughts out on Bella, even unintentionally, was high.

He had to get to her, but how? He had vowed to Carlisle mentally that he wouldn't do anything to affect the treaty. Though they were stronger and certainly more durable than the wolves, they were outnumbered at least two to one. Plus the only thing worse than something happening to his family was something happening to Bella, and he didn't want to incite the wolves to violence.

"You know Edward," he must have been deep in thought to not have heard Alice approach, "the meadow is a good place to start. We smelled her when we were there and the treaty line runs through the middle of it. There is a possibility that she would return there."

Edward smiled for the first time in years. It wasn't his full crooked grin, but the twitch of his muscles moving slowly upward in his cheeks was achingly familiar. He turned to look at Alice who was grinning at him, her eyes twinkling.

"Alice, I could kiss you." Edward placed his lips briefly on her cheek before rushing past her. She heard the door slam seconds later and thought, "Good luck, Edward, bring my Bella home."

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The fur on Jacob's back bristled. The wind had shifted, bringing the sickly sweet scent of leech in his direction. Though he couldn't really decipher one bloodsucker's sweet stench from another's, he knew that Bella wouldn't dare disobey him and cross the treaty line. She was too dedicated to him, and lately, perhaps too afraid of him to think of it. He shook that last thought out of his head. Bella needed to be a little bit afraid of him, of crossing the treaty line. It would keep her closer to home, afraid of what would happen if he disobeyed her. He didn't like to use fear as a motivator, but couldn't she see that he needed her? Couldn't she see that this was for her own good? Edward would never come near or hurt his Bella again, Jacob would rather die.

Clearing his head of all thoughts, he took off in the direction of the scent. He had been running patrols parallel to the boundary lines almost a mile into the wolves' territory to avoid alerting the leeches. He would occasionally get a stale scent, indicating that one of them was tracking his movements from their side of the border, but this scent was different. This scent was fresh, nauseatingly much so. Jacob was practically giddy as he pushed his legs to go faster. He prayed one of them had crossed. To have permission to rip one of the leeches limb from limb would make him ecstatic.

He slowed to a moderate run as he felt the trail grow stronger, he was nearly there. He entered the clearing aggressively. He crouched and prepared to lunge. Edward Cullen lay in the grass half way across the clearing, his eyes closed and legs crossed at the ankles.

"Hello, Jacob," he greeted smugly. Jacob growled in response.

"So sorry to disappoint Jacob, but as you can see, I am clearly on our side of the treaty line. No harm no foul."

Edward laughed softly, almost inaudibly as Jacob continued to crouch. "There's nothing that you can do about me being here."

Jacob retreated slightly and phased. He knew that Edward could read his mind regardless of his form, but he wanted to at least have the option to respond audibly.

"She'll never come here," Jacob sneered. "I'll make sure of that."

Edward felt anger rise in him quickly and he suppressed the growl building in his chest. He knew that antagonizing Jacob when it came to Bella would only cause Bella more heartache and might really interfere with her ever searching him out.

"Jacob, I'm sure that I don't know what you mean," Edward responded carefully.

Jacob stammered for a minute, unsure of how to respond. "Well, I'm sure that you know exactly what I mean, leech. Bella is mine, now. You forfeited the right to her when you left, perhaps if you've forgotten you'd like me to remind you?"

Unpleasant thoughts and images assaulted Edward's mind before he could react. Bella looking catatonic, cradled in Sam Uley's arms, Bella racing a motorcycle down an abandoned stretch of road, recklessly with little care for her fragile human body, Bella crying over and over again followed by Jacob's smug embrace, Jacob gently stroking Bella's hair, Bella kissing him, holding him, touching him….

"Enough!" Edward was on his feet now, crouched menacingly in Jacob's direction.

It was Jacob's turn to laugh as he turned and moved out of the clearing. "Enjoy my memories bloodsucker? I think I'll go home now and see my future wife. I'll be sure to share those memories the next time I see you," Jacob chuckled and transformed quickly departing the clearing.

Edward's smug thoughts were deflated and he lay still once more, his heart longing to be in Bella's presence once again.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Jacob had come home earlier than he had in weeks and Bella was surprised as she heard his approach the house. Perhaps he had snapped out of his obsession with the Cullen's and would go back to being her Jacob, instead of the vengeful, impulsive man that had replaced him.

He smiled at her as he entered the kitchen, pausing to take in her breathtaking beauty. Her smoky blue sweater clung neatly to her small frame, its sleeves pushed midway up her forearms. Her dark denim jeans hugged her hips and her thighs falling straight to the floor and her hair curled naturally midway down her back enticingly.

The way that he greeted her hungrily did not go unnoticed by Bella as she approached him tentatively. He reached for her and pulled her too him, his skin searing into her cold flesh. He held her like that for just a moment too long, until Bella swore that her skin would be bright red burns when they parted. Of course her skin was marble white as usual but the burning sensation lingered for a few minutes.

"Hello to you, too," she said mostly to herself. Jacob chuckled lowly behind her. She fixed him dinner quietly and sat while he ate, marveling as he shoveled bite after bite into his mouth. It was almost disgusting how much he was eating, but Bella reasoned that he really hadn't eaten or slept much in a long time. Jacob watched basketball for about an hour before his eyes began to droop. Bella sat by quietly. This reminded her of her time with Charlie, which she would often spend watching sporting events in comfortable silence. The difference? This silence seemed far from comfortable, instead hovering somewhere closer to distant. They used to have so much more to talk about.

Jacob got up and reached for Bella. He led her into their room and kissed her roughly, pushing her hard body against the wall. Bella responded half-heartedly before easing Jacob's lips off of her.

"Please, Bella. I need this," Jacob stated lowly. Bella relented momentarily before standing her ground again, this time moving swiftly from Jacob's hold. His words had been telling, "I need this" instead of "I need you". Something was wrong here.

Bella didn't have the mental energy to handle Jacob's neurosis right now. Instead she lay down on their bed, patting the empty space next to her.

"Please," she said quietly. "You've been gone so much lately, just hold me." Though she didn't really want to be pressed against Jacob's heat for any longer, it was better than his rough hands exploring her body when she felt distanced from him.

Jacob smiled sadly, giving in and moved behind Bella, holding her tightly. In only a matter of minutes, Jacob's heavy breathing tickled Bella's neck. She lay with Jacob for a few hours, before lithely slipping from his hold. Before leaving the room, she studied him slowly. More than ever, he really looked like a child. His normally tensed features appeared soft and gentle. She brushed a lock of hair from his face carefully and placed her lips lightly on his forehead before she turned and left.

Her journey towards the clearing was filled with doubt and questioning. What was she doing? Though Jacob was still not being himself, he was closer earlier that evening than he had been in a while. He didn't deserve this blatant betrayal that Bella was laying on him at that very moment. But, his behavior over the last several days had stirred a dormant curiosity of her past that she hadn't known existed. She had to go, at least once. She had to see what was so forbidden to her, had to know what part of her human past belonged to him, to the rest of the Cullen's. A part of her wished that she didn't have this curiosity, that Jacob had never deviated from his normal behavior and she could just continue her life blissfully unaware of the missing pieces. But Bella knew that that was impossible now and that she needed to determine what her past meant and what that could mean for her future.

The clearing was only half a mile or so ahead. Bella stopped cold. Jacob's scent was strong, though obviously hours old. As the breeze blew gently towards her face, she recognized another scent, buried deep within her veiled memories. It was sweet and tempting and she thoughtlessly moved towards it. Moments later, Bella broke the plane of the clearing. Her vision blurred as her mind threatened to betray her, snapshots of her past looming dangerously just below the surface. She shook her head slightly and looked around. The clearing was the same, a slight layer of frost made the vegetation appear silver in the moonlight. It was breathtaking. Bella's breath hitched as she focused on the figure looking at her tentatively, his golden eyes focused on her intently.

The snapshots pushed towards the surface and overwhelmed Bella's mind. One after the other vivid thoughts, feelings, moments, sounds and actions smothered Bella's grip on reality. She staggered backwards, reaching out for anything that could support her. Her hands found a rough tree branch and she leaned against it, panting. After several minutes, Bella's eyes snapped up, as though seeing for the first time. The man that she knew must be Edward Cullen reached out towards her, his toes stopped at the invisible border that divided them. He looked pained, worried. Bella was breathing quickly, trying to center herself, to process the thoughts that had just overwhelmed her.

She stepped towards him quickly, and was nearly overtaken by memories again. She stepped backwards before a painful memory enveloped her.

"_Bella, I don't want you to come with me." He spoke the words slowly and precisely, his cold eyes on her face, watching as she absorbed what he was really saying._

_There was a pause as she repeated the words in her head a few times, sifting through them for their real intent._

"_You…don't…want me?" She tried out the words, confused by the way they sounded, placed in that order._

"_No."_

Bella had known that Edward had left. She even understood why. But seeing this snapshot frozen in time, seeing the resilience in his eyes as he dismissed her and watching her own heart break was too much. A small cry escaped her lips as she staggered backwards and ran from the clearing.

**Well? Please, please, please review. I'm kind of on a role now, so if enough people really like where this is going, I'm sure that there could be another update really soon **

**(I know that I said I wouldn't beg, and I kind of am....so PLEASE?)** xoxoxoxo - Ashley


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey everyone...so I set a secret goal of how many reviews I wanted before I reviewed and you fell ONE short. Thank everyone who DID review...they were great and super motivating. I churned another great chapter out already. Part of me felt that I should wait for that one illusive review...but I figured positive reinforcement...if I posted the chapter, everyone would see that reviews do lead to quicker chapter postings... :) **

**A lot of people wanted a chapter done from Edwards point of view...I really try when I'm writing to depict everyone's point of view at different points in any chapter by using a third person narrative. I have kept to that format for this chapter but focused mostly on Edward's thoughts. It is not told in the first person, if you want that...let me know. I think you'll be pleased...you'll be able to see what he's thinking and how he's reacting. Enjoy and REVIEW! Ashley.  
**

Chapter 8

Edward stared at Bella's retreating form with a mix of emotions. On one hand she HAD come. His heart soared at the thought that his Bella had returned to him. She had entered the meadow so tentatively, her eyes unfocused. Edward stared at her. He really couldn't help it. Bella was dazzling, and for the first time, he understood how she must have felt when she used to look at him. He was stunned into stillness, unable to move from his spot riveted to the meadow floor by her overwhelming beauty. Before Edward could completely drink her in, she was looking at him. Their eyes locked and he reached out to her without thinking. In an instant, Bella was stumbling backwards, her arms reaching for something to stabilize her. She grasped a low hanging tree branch and Edward longed to go to her. His feet moved forward ever so slightly before he realized that even an inch further and he would break the treaty.

Bella's eyes were unfocused again and her face was twisted in confusion. She appeared to be in pain. Edward had only seen that look on her face once before…the day that he left her. A whimper found its way from her lips and Edward's cold heart broke. Before he had time to react further, Bella turned and ran from the clearing. Moments later, Edward had fallen to his knees. He cradled his head in his hands. Had he imagined the whole thing?

It was possible, he mused. After they had left Bella he had hallucinated scenarios from her life, hadn't he? Though after seeing Jacob's memories earlier, it became clear that Bella had in fact been on a motorcycle. Had she approached a group of seedy men in Port Angeles, too? Edward couldn't think about those things now. Bella had been here, he was sure of it. And even if she'd fled, she had come. If she came, she would come again, wouldn't she?

Bella sat on the edge of the La Push cliffs, her safe haven in the hours between dusk and dawn. She stared out towards the open sea, her eyes looking, but not focusing on anything. She had run. But what was she supposed to do? She raked her fingernails across her cheeks and towards her temples in concentration. Edward had left her, yes, but she truly believed that he had left her for her safety. It was misguided, yes, but it was with good intentions. So why had she run?

The emotion that she felt viewing the snapshot from Edward's departure from her life was too much. It had startled her, scared her and brought into focus a very familiar hurt from her past. She had never seen herself look so vulnerable.

Other moments of her human life and more significantly, her human life with Edward had come sharply into focus. Simple things like riding in the car with him laughing, a snapshot from the prom, which Bella couldn't believe she'd actually attended, standing in Charlie's kitchen making lasagna as Edward looked on…Bella had loved him. She had loved him hard and fiercely. Typically with her snapshots, Bella rarely felt anything. Sure, her memories were jogged and she remembered the feeling that she was having at a particular time, based on the situation.

But never before had she truly FELT the love, the pain, the hurt, the need or any of the other emotions in her human life. She had needed Edward once like she needed food or water…or air. Edward had been her lifeline. She understood why Jacob had felt a need to keep her away from him, now. The feelings that she had had for Edward were much more intense than the feelings that she had for Jacob currently. They were varied, as loving any two people would be expected to be. But they were very different. Her love for Jacob was comforting, expected and worn-in, like a favorite sweatshirt. The feelings that she'd had for Edward were borderline obsessive. She had coveted her love for him, needed him, felt passionately drawn to him in a way that she could never feel for Jacob. Certainly you could argue her love for Jacob was normal, healthier. But Bella knew that certainly an argument could be made for intensity and passion, too.

Her head was swimming as the sun prepared to break the horizon line. Jacob would wake up soon. Bella moved swiftly towards the house. Her feet moved with little thought or attention paid to them. She reached for the screen door, which hung crookedly from the door jam, only to pause before easing it open. The ring that Jacob had given her sparkled carefully in the low light coming from the porch. Bella wiggled the fingers of her left hand slowly, watching as the prism that the ring created danced on the old door. The stone was of average size, emerald cut. Bella wouldn't have chosen it for herself but she had smiled when Jacob told her that he'd known it was the perfect ring for her the second he saw it. Sometimes, he could be so adorably clueless.

Bella hesitated for another minute before sliding through the door. It creaked dangerously before coming to rest gently against the rusted latch. Bella could hear Jacob's heavy breathing and knew that, as always, her presence hadn't been missed. Occasionally during the night, Bella would find herself feeling lonely. After five years, she'd come to accept that she didn't need sleep, while others around her did. It was the nature of the beast, literally. Understanding this sentiment, however, didn't keep her from the occasional longing for company. Lately, Bella had reveled in the peace that nighttime brought her. She was grateful to move amongst the shadows, alone, without having to discuss her thoughts or qualify her whereabouts.

Jacob had become increasingly frustrating. Bella was forbidden from leaving La Push, which was small compared to the rolling hills and rocky cliffs beyond. Before the Cullen's had returned, she rarely ventured out of La Push anyway, but now, being denied the choice made Bella feel caged, intrigue and longing in a way that she'd never known before. She was starting to think she'd at least felt longing like that before…Edward had intrigued her enough in the brief moments that she'd lay eyes on him hours earlier to make that clear.

Jacob had made a point to visit the meadow at least once a day. The first day he'd returned, after Edward had seen Bella, Edward was afraid of what he would say. Did he know that Bella had come? Edward could still smell her scent hanging heavily in the air. The thin hairs on his neck bristled as Jacob approached tentatively, first as a snarling wolf and then as a taunting man. Edward scanned his mind quickly. Jacob seemed completely oblivious and Edward relaxed briefly before a vivid memory was forced upon him by Jacob. _Jacob touched Bella, kissing her roughly. His dark hands gripped her pale face firmly. She kissed him back, her visible hang placed against his shoulder, her engagement ring sparkling slightly._ Edward suffered in the image, bracing himself for what might come next for an excruciating moment before Jacob's mind went blank. He was momentarily perplexed before Jacob spoke.

"You're wasting your time leech," Jacob sneered. Edward almost reacted instantly, telling Jacob that clearly he wasn't always aware of his fiancé's whereabouts. But even though it would earn him instant gratification, nothing good could come of it. Instead he watched Jacob intently. He was hiding something.

"Nothing to say bloodsucker?" Jacob demanded, his tone more forceful than it had been at first. Edward shrugged. Jacob's mind went from blank to polluted instantly. His thoughts raced and Edward could barely keep up. Jacob was trying to decipher his vague responses but was overwhelmed by so many other things that he clearly wasn't thinking straight. Edward raked through his mind quickly, searching for the memory that Jacob had quickly shut off. Jacob had intended to hurt him by showing his intimacy with Bella. Why, then, had he stopped the memory at what would have been the most detrimental and painful part? Edward found it relatively easily, just below the surface of Jacob's mind. _Jacob advanced on Bella. She had entertained him briefly, kissing him _– Edward skipped the details this time_ - before darting away from him, refusing him. _

"Seems your memory of your night with Bella wasn't complete," Edward mused. Jacob was fuming. He opened his mouth and closed it multiple times in rapid succession. His mind was racing again, this time with violent desires. He shook violently and seemed to phase without intention. Edward was briefly startled by the dramatic transformation before he crouched and hissed defensively. Jacob leaned towards him and snapped his jaw menacingly before turning and leaving the meadow.

Jacob had kept his distance since their confrontation, but he always came near the meadow on his patrols. Often Edward could hear his thoughts, but he hadn't been able to glean anything of use from them. They were typically a string of nonsensical, hate filled ramblings.

Edward had only left the meadow in the past several days to occasionally change clothes, and once to hunt. He had become such a significant fixture in the meadow that on the eighth day after he'd seen Bella a doe and her fawn wandered tentatively into the meadow only a few feet from him. It wasn't often that Edward was able to actually enjoy nature. Typically his animal instincts kicked in, but despite his moderate thirst, he wasn't at all interested in the deer. He watched as the mother nudged the baby towards some tender undergrowth on the meadow's edge. She paid Edward little attention, as if she understood that he was of no danger to them. She looked at him only briefly before they departed the meadow. The black pools of the doe's eyes appeared unending and Edward remembered the first time that he'd stared into Bella's deep brown eyes.

When she had walked into biology, he'd wanted to kill her. That was probably the understatement of the century. Edward would have spilled her blood and then joyously drank every last drop, coveting her soul all for himself. The thought made him sick. But he had beat the beast back for 53 minutes until the class had ended and then he ran. He ran all the way to Alaska before he stopped. He nearly hadn't returned. But Edward really believed that everything happened for a reason. There was a reason that this temptress whose blood sang to him so dangerously had happened into his life. His understanding of reason ended there. Why had Bella been changed? He had done everything in his power to prevent it. Why was Bella with Jacob? She belonged with him. She had to belong to him. Edward couldn't justify why Bella would be introduced into his life just to end up in someone else's. And so he waited, and would continue to wait until she returned to him.

**And she will be returning....very very soon. Ten reviews and I'll give you another chapter by the end of the week....xoxo Ashley**


End file.
